Signs and portents

Safe Harbour Inn

Carans of Hilgenel knows how to keep his mouth shut. As a result, his inn has become the hangout for those who don't want inquiries into their business. Just as the White Gold Inn attracts the cream of society, the Safe Harbour Inn attracts the dregs.

Sailors, mercenaries, labourers, horse traders and worst of all, adventurers come here to flop for the night, trade goods, swap stories and pound back a few drinks. Fights are common and far from breaking them up, Carans considers them free entertainment. Rowdies must pay for damages (silver only), or the bouncer, a huge, muscle bound blonde named Jourdo, will break one finger at a time until they do. The innkeeper’s son, Dralvin, has a talent with tin flute and is often called up to play a tune or two. If he is lucky, the thrown coin ends up in his hat.

1 This room is dark, smoky and poorly lit. There are plenty of dark corners where customers can arrange deals in private and everyone is careful not to intrude on other people’s business. The constant hum of voices, clang of tankards and general hubbub make it hard to hear anything. Carans mans the bars most nights while his daughter waits tables. He serves cheap ale and beer. The tankards are given a quick wipe with a dirty rag (if there is time).

2 The 12 rooms for rent all desperately need cleaning. They are flea and rat infested. There rooms are of a reasonable size, five are marginal, but the remaining four are little more than closets. The locks on the doors are mainly for show and anything left behind will be gone within the hour. Their only attraction is the rice, 3d, 2d, and 1d per night, meals extra.

3 The kitchen is the domain of Carans’ wife, Delael, where she prepares cheap meals to sell to the customers. It is best not to inquire too closely into the contents of the common pot.

4 The small room off the kitchen houses the whole family. It is filthy and squalid.

5 Filled with barrels and boxes of supplies, the storeroom is also used to brew the Inn’s thick, bitter ale. It has a high alcohol content.